Young And Beautiful
by Checkerz
Summary: Jae-Ha struggles with the memories of his former predecessor.
1. Chapter 1

Tug.

 _Tug..._

 _ **Tug**_.

Blood dripped from chaffed wrists.

Tug.

 _Tug_.

The chains dug in and began to peel off green scales.

Glassy eyes pooled with tears.

Tug.

Flashes of pain.

 _ **Tug**_.

Jae-Ha scrambled forwards aimlessly.

He kept pulling.

" _Making you suffer for the next century brings me joy. Struggle all you want. You're never getting out of here."_

 _Tttuuuggg_ , the young dragon began to panic.

When was the last time he had seen Garou?

Days?

Weeks?

A _month?_

Tug!

He usually kept track through his missing predecessor.

Tug...

Tug.

His stomach growled loudly.

A deep, knawing ach filled the empty crevices.

 _Ttuugg_.

A villager came by occasionally to bring Jae-Ha scrapes of food.

He tried to reason with them.

Let him outside.

It was getting colder.

Winter had arrived among the village.

They made no move to close to the window.

Jae-Ha wouldn't let them if they tried.

 _ **Tug**_.

It was the twelve year old's last hope.

Only comfort and glimpses of freedom.

Tug.

His whole body wracked against the howling wind.

 _Please_...

Eyes widened with dubious sanity.

 **Ttttuuuggg** -

 _"You're pretty stupid aren't you?"_

 _His predecessor had a nasty smile._

 _The man lifted his leg "With this leg, the people outside would never accept the likes you. This...green colored leg with ugly scales jutting out. How **disgusting!** A leg of a **monster!** Even the villagers treat it as some kind of disease."_

Jae-Ha choked on a sob.

He tried to remain strong.

He.

Would.

 _Not._

 **Give** _._

 _ **Up**._

The second the Ryokuryuu let that feeling inside _it was over._

Tug.

Tug.

His wrists were raw, scabbed over and heavily scarred from almost a decade of pulling.

His ankles over all were fairing a little better but his scaled dragons foot was _horrifying_.

Jae-Ha's couldn't leave it.

What good was this to him?

If he couldn't fly?

What good was any of this?

Tug.

Tug.

 _If he couldn't leave?_

Snow fell through the window.

His hideous toes curled in and the claws scraped against the cold floor.

The child shivered and drew back onto his straw mat.

His arms wrapped around his frame and under a thin blanket.

The green dragon rocked back and forth, staring at nothing.

He started mumbling under his breath.

It grew more frantic.

 _Rrrrriiippp!_

He flew forwards as chains clashed against each other.

" _GAROU! GAROU!_ "

His arms felt like they would tear off.

 _Good_.

 _ **Rrrriiippp!**_

He could fly without them.

Another scream filled Jae-Ha's throat with daggers.

" _ **GAROU!**_ "

His scream echoed.

His leg rose, muscles taunt, digging into the ground, pushing him forwards.

The twelve year old boy's tears mixed in with the blood.

A few villagers who were still up at this time threatened Jae-Ha then promptly fell back to sleep.

Tug.

 _Tttuugg_.

His back arched.

His breath hitched.

 _Don't leave me..._

 _Don't leave me..._

 _ **Garou**._


	2. Chapter 2

The world spun around him as time flew by and there was still no sign of the former Ryokuryuu.

Tug.

Tug.

Wild eyes drilled a hole into a spot in the corner.

Tug.

 _Tug_.

His wrists and ankles had built up a hard layer of scarring.

They were still swollen and infected, with the occasional seeping of blood.

The chains lightly clattered into each other.

Wind blew through the hut.

Jae-Ha gradually began to feel the strength growing in his right leg.

The shackle around it no longer ripped the scaling off.

Tug.

Tug.

His mind buzzed frantically.

" _Hey. You. When are you going to die?"_

 _Garou came forwards, gripping his hair tightly, "How cruel. Are you telling me to die, Jae-Ha?"_

Tug.

Pulling against the chains was pure instinct now, he had little control over it.

Tug.

Tug.

It was just instinct.

" _Because you were born, my life is being sucked away you know..."_

 _"Sucked away?"_

His life...

He was 12 years old.

He had spent 12 years alone in this hut with a monster.

 **Tug**.

Who was convinced Jae-Ha was by far- the worst monster in this village.

 **Tug.**

Blood dripped.

Jae-Ha's breathing rapidly escalated.

His jaw chattered the words to himself, " _Let me go...let me go...let me go._ "

 _ **RRRIIIPPP!**_

The wall holding the metal in place slightly crumbled.

It sliced open a deeper layer into his wrists.

 _Jae-Ha strained against the clawed hand on his forehead, "Can you hurry up and die already?" He gritted sharp teeth, "Even if I break my chains and jump to the sky: you **always** come and drag me back to the ground._ "

Tug.

...

 **Tug!**

The pulling grew more frantic.

His breathing now hysterical.

"I-I did-I didn't-I didn't..."

Blind panic set in.

His small frame trembled, stretching out far as it would go.

Blood and tears swirled together in small drops on the floor.

Jae-Ha just stared.

 _...I didn't mean it._

 _ **Garou**._

Tug.

The trembling in his arms grew worse.

It felt any more would rip the limb right off.

 _Good_.

The pre-teen smiled.

Smiled just like Garuo.

A deranged laughter filled the small hut.

That couldn't be him, _could it?_

No matter how much it disgusted him Jae-Ha couldn't stop laughing.

Or sobbing hysterically.

The lack of oxygen in his lungs made the room darken.

He stopped pulling, his muscles taunt and burning, pushed to the limit.

Inhale...

 **Ugly**.

Exhale...

 **Monster**.

In-inhale...

 **Disease**.

Exhale.

 **Unwanted.**

Garou-

 **Unloved**.

Please...

 **-And left alone to die.**

 _Don't leave me here_.

* * *

 **Author Notes: Originally this chapter was like a 1,000 words but I realized it worked out better for everyone in smaller doses. The next chapter will give us some answers, I'm sure. Thank you so much to my lovely reviewer! I didn't think anyone would get the chance to read this. So thank you for making this girl very, very happy. I hope you enjoyed this one, short as it may be. But the story speaks to me. And this looked like a good ending as any. Thank you so much :) Here's also the DICLAIMER. By the way. Which I always forget. Because hell if I own it why aren't I rich? Enjoy.**


	3. Chapter 3

_He couldn't do this._

His breath punched through the air.

His damp flesh trembled.

 _He couldn't do this_.

It was too long.

 _He couldn't-_

A shriek errupted the small village.

 _He couldn't do this._

Tears flew from crazed and hopeless green eyes.

" _ **NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

Jae-Ha felt light headed.

He couldn't do this- _stop_.

Stop.

Stop.

 _Stop._

 _Stop_.

' _ **'SSSSSTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPP!"**_

Glass completely demolished his throat.

The pre-teen drooped to the cold floor, his sweat and exhausted muscles flinched in return.

...

...

 _Damn you._

...

Jae-Ha's pupils slit has they flicked up angrily.

Damn the legend.

 _Damn him._

Damn the fucking king who put him here.

Who gave him this power.

 _Damn you to all eternity._

 _I will, h_ e growled.

 _Not._

 ** _Serve you._**

I have no Master.

 _Go fuck yourself,_ Jae-Ha bared two small, sharp canines.

I am not your tool.

I am not a mindless puppet.

I am not staying here to die.

" _Hey you! When are you going to die?"_

 _"Monster."_

 _"I will relish in your suffering for all enternity."_

 _"Come with me."_

 _"Why would I come with you,_ idot? **I hate you!"**

" _Lets take to the skies...together."_

 _"If only Ryokuryuu could see you now...changed to the ground like this. It's despicable."_

 _"Taking away someone's freedom is the ugliest thing you can do in this world. People like that should die and reincarnte into roses."_

 _"You talk alot about freedom-you must have had a bad expirence with it."_

 _"I'm sorry but I did not want to meet you. Nor do I plan on serving you: Please go away."_

 _ **"You are our avatar now-"**_

Stop **.**

 **" _The Crimson Dragon is your master."_**

I don't want this.

 **" _Protect him with your life-"_**

Please **.**

 **" _Love him-"_**

 **I CAN'T DO THIS PLEASE JUST LET ME GGGOOOO!**

 **"- _And_ never _betray him."_**

Jae-Ha shot up from his bed screaming.

His heart shot through him, his whole body trembled.

The 25 year old pirate's eyes dialated.

They stared back at curious blue orbs with the same animalistic fire had by Princess Yona.

Kija sat infront of him, his own eyes softening with concern.

"Jae-Ha-"

 _"Don't."_

The tent was silent.

Everyone was asleep.

Jae-Ha's green bangs fell directly into his vision.

...

It didn't matter.

 _It was over._

 _It was over._

He didn't have to do this.

Didn't have to go through this.

Everything was normal.

Yona was just a silly young girl.

She was brave.

And just as every bit insane as he.

He could walk out at anytime.

Jae-Ha didn't have to stay.

He was following Yona-chan by choice.

As as a human being who could think for himself-

He could do absolutely whatever he wanted.

"Of course you can't, **idiot**."

Jae-Ha's head snapped up to see Kija's flawless skin warp into a nasty smile.

"Do you think you can leave? You'll die here, as a _slave_. It's in your blood. Our blood. _You can't escape it."_

It was dark.

His eyes tricked him.

Silver locks flashed into wild green.

Kija cocked his head, "I hope you die," he bit his lip, to keep it from showing his insanity, "I hope you die in each and every way you fear. In every w _ay you killed me_."

The young man tried to back away.

A white clawed hand suddenly latched onto his.

"Why did you do it? I wanted to live. I wanted to live _so.._. **so badly.** '"

Jae-Ha tried to kick the other dragon away but found it was chained.

 _No._

...

Fear paralyzed him.

Silver hair and blue eyes melted into green.

Zeno, Yoon and the tent all disapeared.

Candle light flashed against the small room casting ugly shadows.

 _It just made Garou's face all the more terrifying._

"But then you came along...you...you kept me here..."

Stop.

 _This wasn't real._

 _He had his leg-_

Garou snatched it up high over his head and suddenly he was 12 years old again.

"DAMN YOU."

Jae-Ha looked into the face of a man who completely broken inside.

A man, still a child in some villagers eyes-snapped a long time ago.

Someone who gave up hope.

Someone who died before he could live.

' **DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU!"**

The fists of a soul crying for it not to end rained down on him.

They touched his face.

His chest.

His stomach.

 _His leg._

It made Jae-Ha briefly wonder about his parents.

His collar bone.

 _Would they have hated him too?_

" _ **DAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOUDAMNYOU!"**_

He peaked out behind a swollen and crusted eylid.

The pain didn't feel good anymore.

 _It made him want to die._

It made him want to find his mother and die sobbing.

Why?

 _Why didn't anyone ever love me?_

Jae-Ha's eyes opened as he startled.

A few seconds passed as he stared at the tent surrounding him.

The older man sat up softly and realized why he had zero feeling in his left arm.

A wild, untamed nest of golden hair covered it as the person attached drooled and snored into the fabric.

Jae-Ha sighed.

 _This was real._

This wasn't some other fucked up dream.

Zeno clinging to his arm proved that to him.

Jae-Ha's eyes searched the tent.

Everyone, including Kija was dead to the world.

The green haired avatar wiped hot tears away.

Some had slipped from his cheeks, down his neck and into his collar bone.

 _Hot pain flashed as Garou's hand came crashing down-he screamed as the bone snapped._

Jae-Ha quickly shook that from his head.

He was an adult now.

He wasn't going to be frightened by the memories and whims of a child.

That didn't stop his eyes from snapping shut.

Or nimble fingers brushing back his sleeves.

Or Jae-Ha drinking in the sight.

This wasn't beautiful.

What happened to him wasn't beautiful either.

Ivory wrists clashed brightly with ugly, warped scars.

They overlapped agianst eachother until nothing was left.

He just stared at them with a sad expression.

The years taught Jae-Ha pain and anguish was to be relished and loved.

Pain secretly made him happy.

But nothing but shame filled him when something slashed his wrists.

When curious eyes fell upon his hidden leg.

That wasn't beautiful.

Garou tore something into him that could never, ever be taken back out.

 _He was ugly._

 _He was twisted._

 _He was strange._

 _ **And he** **was** **free**._

* * *

 **Author Notes: Aw, Geez it's already been a month? Sorry. I just started up a job a waitress, I'm gone like all the time recieving very little money in return lol. But Jae-Ha's suffering and your wonderful reviews bring me great joy. I was going to originally have Hak watching him silently but it ended before I had the chance. Tch. Well. Maybe some other time. I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it! XD**


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